What irritates me however are these so-called 'reality based' systems, like Krav Maga, that are nothing more than money-making machines giving people a dangerous and misguided belief in their own ability. All the 'six months and you'll be Jason Bourne', 'as used by Special Forces', 'trained by SWAT' b*llocks is usually a good indicator of a bullshido merchant.
We've a reality system. In creating it, we've took out all martial arts. Critically looking at all the worlds reality based systems, i felt for the street there had to be more movment toward the real environment. So we're quite hands on, very agressive, and use little or no protection. Simple, i dont fight on a mat in the street. I wont be attack by a plastic knife, or a plastic bat. I wont be attacked by a stick the width of a brush shaft either. The marketing hype you speak of, i agree. However, the reality is that the system should be concept based, and both those and the techniques should be easy to learn. In fact, it should take 5 mins to learn something. And of course, longer to do it to the high stress level. I'm guessing you are martial arts trained, and dont experience something like i've just said. A martial artist, and indeed, some of the 'reality' system that are hybrid martial arts, take quite a while to leanr, and train under safe conditions. Granted, the training will be challenging physically, and mentally. Though some systems since they are using martial arts, absorb the dojo mentality. One example, i recently saw on facebook a clip of a well known trainer in a global system. This guy trains counter-terrorism in his country. I saw him taking a gun of another, it dropped to the floor, and he picked it up and handed it back! absolutely useless that is. teaching, which of course is personal training, year in year out, and doing that is bad. One must carry out to the letter in training that which they will execute in combat. Such 'lovely manners' as handing a weapon back have got no place in serious combat training. It's a issue that is so endemic no-one realises it seems.
anyhow, the whole purpose of a reality system, sorry... the whole purpose of a combatives system is to teach someone a finite set of skills in the shortest time possible, to execute concepts first, techniques second, under high stress. How long does it take top learn an idea. The process is actually the reverse of martial arts in ways.
I would place more faith in someone who has trained in boxing for 12 months over someone who has trained in Krav Maga. The main difference being the boxer will have actually hit and been hit, full contact during sparring. The majority of the IT professionals training in KM will never get hit.
It's a good point. Training in safety is that, training safe. Real violence is that, violent. Hehe. There's surely a reason why the army train live firing exercises, and dont settle for paint balling.
warmest wishes
Wayne
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